Islamabad: National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production took serious notice of the double duty being levied on electric vehicle (EV) chargers, expressing grave concern over its impact on the nation’s green energy goals.
The meeting of the committee was held under the chairmanship of Syed Hafeezuddin, MNA on Thursday. The members of the committee observed that taxing local EV infrastructure directly contradicts national efforts to promote green energy, the prime minister’s vision to encourage EV industry growth, stifles investment in sustainable transport, and places an unnecessary financial burden on consumers and industry stakeholders. To resolve this issue swiftly, the committee directed officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to appear before its next meeting to review the duty structure and align it with national EV promotion policies.
Taking further action on administrative lapses, the committee issued strict directives regarding the posting of Ch. Akram, Director PSM, to crucial positions at Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM), Karachi. Expressing deep concern over how an individual facing an active FIR and an ongoing inquiry was posted to such a key role, the standing committee formally directed the ministry to conduct a comprehensive inquiry over the matter and submit a report within 15 days.
The committee expressed its grave concern on the severe load-shedding in Karachi, because it is heavily impacting local industries. The committee directed the chief executive officer of K-Electric to appear before the committee in its next meeting to address the grave concerns raised by members and outline steps to ensure uninterrupted industrial power supply.
